Submission Guidelines

Obituaries

What is an Obituary?

The purpose of an obituary in The Friend is to tell the story of an interesting life. The subject does not have to be well-known, and need not have made a major impact in the world. Simply, through his or her faith, the subject will have done something or things that are interesting and worth relating to a wider audience. An obituary based on the premise that "Mary was loved by all who knew her" is a non-starter, unless there was an extraordinary reason for that love (she fostered 40 children during a lifetime of caring for disadvantaged young people). Obituaries are not "Testimonies to the Grace of God as shown in the life of..." Please send these to the Yearly Meeting's Recording Clerk's Office for consideration for inclusion in Documents in advance.

Who writes Obituaries?

We do not publish unsolicited obituaries. If you know of someone who has recently died, and whose life you feel warrants an obituary, please contact the editor directly to discuss the matter. Close friends, colleagues or others who knew the subject well are the best people to write obituaries. Generally, obituaries are not written by relatives. Obituaries are sometimes a collaboration between several authors.

Content

Obituaries should not be a chronological account of a person's life. Rather, they should focus on one or two interesting or extraodinary achievements. If the subject's life has been a long series of achievements or accomplishments, this should be stated, with two or three highlights dealt with in depth. Length will vary, and will be stated by the editor at the time the obituary is commissioned.

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